Just at the good part
by Yoruyonaka Sakusha
Summary: Why is it that you always wake up at the good part? And why is it you can't get back to sleep to get to the good part? In Sokka's case, the answer to both is Aang.


**Bwa ha ha ha! I have 'discovered' forums! I had no idea what they were but now i do! This story is for the forum Avatar: The Last Airbender Challenge Forum. This one is o-dragon's challenge:**

**You can write or have a story already written that include these things:  
1. Zuko has to be in it  
2. the chapters can be any length, or it can be a one-shot, poem, etc.  
3. the plot cannot be a plot we've seen before  
4. action/adventure  
5. has to include these items:  
-Iroh's shoes  
-Zuko massaging Iroh's feet  
-Aang expresing his love for Katara and Katara saying she only likes him as a friend  
-Sokka runs away and marries Suki **

**So here's my best shot!**

**But first a Dislcaimer: If I actually said i owned it (which i don't, calm down) would you REALLY sue me? I mean literally. Seriously. Retorical question here.**

WhenIroh and Zuko had joined Aangs gang of Katara, Sokka and Toph things had started out smoothly. Sure there were some rough thing to work out here and there - like the fact there were now 6 people on Appa's back, making it just a little bit cramped - but it was nothing they couldn't work out. That was until the height of Iroh's love for his things was realized. Mostly the expensive things, or the pretty things. Usually if he lost those types of things he would just have to live without it, and since they sometimeshad to sell the amazing amount of useless items Iroh carried with him for money or food, this happened a lot. Sometimes he was even as careless as to lose these things, leaving them at the campsite or in the last town they visited. They would never go back for these things, as the fire nation and Azula were usually on their tail.

This time, Iroh insisted, was different though. This was not just something pretty, or some expensive doo-dad. This was, as he put it, something personal. Back in the last town they had just visited, Kyoshi Island, Iroh had left his shoe after he had been forced to stop bathing in one of the tubs due to the fire nation, yet again. These wer no ordinary shoes either. They fit him just right so that his feet didn't get sore, which was, to him, all the reason needed to go back. And so, after much arguing between all of them, it had been decided that they would go back to get it. In the meantime, Iroh wore an old pair they had gotten off the rode, made roughly of wood. They were uncomfortable but they would have to do.

So, this is where the story begins. The 6 of them off to return to Kyoshi island for a shoe.

Yup. Just because this is what had been decided they would do didn't mean everyone had to like it though.

Iroh sat calmly next to his nephew, listening to the bickering. Most of it was directed at him, but quite a bit of it was directed at eachother.

"There's no reason for us to be going back! What if we run into the fire nation?" Katara said loudly, at noone in particular.

_"Because,"_Toph answered moodily, getting annoyed "the old man can't go around without his shoe.".

Katara gave Iroh a wistful glare. "_Why_ is this shoe so important again?"

"Well, it is more sentimental value than anything else. Besides that it was hand made especially for my feet, so they are the most comfortable." Iroh answered.

"But-"

"And besides, you never know when a comfortable shoe will come in handy." Iroh cut her off.

"It's okay Katara." Aang called from the front. "It won't take too long, and maybe if we go in the opposite direction we'll confuse the fire nation soldiers following us."

"Yeah," Sokka said suddenly. "Besides, they had some good food." He stared off into space, eyeing invisible food in the air.

"Is that all you ever think about? Food?" Zuko asked. The shouting that had been going on before irritated had irritated him too.

"Hey." Sokka replied, staying calm despite how much he despised ever comment the fire-bender made. "I'm a growing boy. I can't help it if food and I get along."

Zuko tched and rolled his eye's. They all fell into a silence for a moment.

"Uh, guys?" Aange yelled. "You might wanna hold on!"

Looking ahead you could clearly see three Fire Nation ships preparing to shoot flaming stinkers at them.

As the first one came Aang swerved Appa quickly to the side, avoiding it skillfully. Unfortunately, there were two more heading their way.

"I knew this was a bad idea!" Katara yelled as they hung on, Appa flying in every direction. Appa groaned as a few sparks lit on his fur, which were qickly put out by the team on his back. This made Aang pretty angry though, hurting his friend. So he grabbed his staff as another flew right at them, jumping up and hitting the thing with a strong gust of well aimed air. The fireball flew down back at the ships, coliding with one and sending showers of debree back on the ships, momentarily blocking their view. This small distraction was just enough to get Appa a good distance ahead. By the time the ships actually were able to find and turn in the direction Appa had taken they were practically out of sight.

And due to the rush they had been in to get away from the ships, they made it to Kyoshi Island in less time than usual. Before they could land in their usualy spot in town though, Katara spoke up.

"Wait! Land in the woods!" She told Aang.

"How come?" he asked, veering Appa off to the right to avoid the town.

"We probably shouldn't be seen this time. Those ships weren't too far behind us, and if word spreads like last time, they'll be here in seconds."

Aang nodded and steered Appa furthur into the forest surrounding the town.

They were quick to find a spot and landed, not taking their stuff out as they planned for this to be a short visit.

"Now." Katara said. "We need to stay hidden so we won't be seen. We need the least noticable one to go into town to get the shoe."

Everyone looked towards Sokka, who was accusingly looking at Momo. He soon noticed the eye's on him.

"Whaaat?" He cried, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm not the least noticable one!"

"No offense Sokka, but you kinda are." Aang told him, his look pleading for him not to be mad.

"There is no way I'm-!"

Sokka found himself running into the forest without another word, desperately trying to put out the fire that had ignited on his pants. When he finally did, he grumbled all the way into town.

"There's no way i'm bringing _them_ back any food..."

Katara glared at Zuko angrily, unapproving of possibly burning her brother (or making yet ANOTHER pair of pants to sew up!). Zuko ignored it though, and sat down on a log next to his uncle, who had somehow already gotten a cup of tea started, along with a small fire.

Katara humphed quietly and sat a little ways from the fire, furthest away from Zuko while Aang started playing with Momo.

Iroh glanced over at Zuko. His feet hurt so bad...

"Zuko!" Iroh said suddenly, making Zuko jump a bit. "If you don't catch this shoe before it hits the ground you must do me a favor!" Iroh declared, holding up his smelly shoe in Iroh's face.

"Why would I do that?" Zuko asked, grimacing away from the shoe.

"It's good training." Iroh brought the shoe to his own nose to smell for himself (having seen Zuko grimace), but found nothing wrong.

"How's that?"

"It... It teaches you to... to save things that may not be of your liking!"

Zuko highly doubted that, but agreed nontheless. "Fine."

Iroh threw the shoe into the air, Zuko went after it half heartedly, and it ended up bouncing off his hand and fell to the ground.

Katara and Aangs attention was momentarily caught.

"Ha! Now you must do the favor. This teaches sticking to your promises."

"What's the favor?" Zuko asked, unsuspecting of the horror the answer supplied.

"Massage my feet." Iroh answered, lifting his feet to put in Zuko's lap. Zuko jumped up quickly though, avoiding the rather disgusting things.

"What?" Zuko stared at his uncle, not believing that he would put him through such torture.

"A promise is a promise Zuko. Those darn shoes hurt very much and my feet are so sore." Iroh wiggled his toes in the air. "We don't have all day Zuko."

"Yeah Zuko!" Katara said, now fully enjoying what was going on. _Payback baby! Yeah! _"Do it for your _honor_." She broke into a fit of giggles under the horrified glare.

Aang couldn't help himself and laughed along.

The fire flared slightly before Zuko took a deep breath and positioned himself in front of Iroh, taking a foot into his hands.

"Ah yes. That's the spot." Iroh sighed. "I love my nephew so much!" He added, catching the death glare Zuko sent him. "Oh come on, it's not that bad! Smile!"

Aang, didn't see the glare. He turned to Katara. He walked forward and took off her shoe.

"Uh, Aang? What are you doing?" She asked, withdrawing her foot.

"I'll massage your feet for you!" Aang said happily, Momo coming to grab at her toe.

"Uh...Why?" She asked

Aang took a deep breath. "Because I love you!" He answered.

Katara blinked. "Oh...Aang, I'm so sorry...but I...I mean you're just my friend!"

Aang's face froze, smile still intact.

Momo ran away from the broken child, running over to Appa to jump on his face to cover his eyes.

Sokka, who had found Suki and gotten her to get him the shoe was walking back with her, happily stuffed with food. It would have taken a shorter amount of time but _damn she was a good kisser!_

So, Sokka and Sukiwalked into the area to see this sight:

Zuko was sitting on a log with his uncle, massaging his feet thoroughly. He had the scariest smile he had ever seen on his face, which appeared to be cracking.

Aang was desperately grabbing at Katara's feet, his face also frozen in a smile.

Momo was currently on Appa's face, covering his eyes.

_What the hell? They all get their special someone but i don't? To hell with this!_

Sokka threw the shoe at Iroh, hitting Zuko accidentally in the head.

"Yo, Suki. Let's go get married." He said, grabbing her hand and walking away.

She simply shrugged and went along.

And so Sokka lived a happy life with Suki.

Making out, getting married, making out, getting a house, making out, having s-

"Wake up Sokka! Air Temple here we come!" Aang yelled, walking up to him.

Sokka groaned. Count of Aang to wake you up at the good part. "Sleep now. Temple later." He said, rolling over to try and fall back to sleep.

Now, where had he been? Oh yeah.

Making out, having se-

"Sokka wake up! There's a Brickle Snake in your sleeping bag!" Aang shouted.

Sokka opened his eyes, registering a second later something moving near him.

His eye's snapped open.

"AAH!" He yelled, jumping up and hopping around. "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! AAH!" He tripped and fell, landing on his face and realizing that there had been no snake.

Katara laughed.

"Great, your awake! Let's go!" Aang said happily.

_Just at the good part._

**Bwa ha ha ha ha! I probably didn't do that good of a job huh? It was gonna go differently, but my stories tend to grow a mind of their own, and this one got away from me. Review!**


End file.
